ZAGREB, February 27, 2020 – The Dr. Fran Mihaljević hospital for infectious diseases in Zagreb has confirmed a third case of novel coronavirus infection and the patient has been hospitalised in Rijeka, the national civil protection crisis team said on Wednesday afternoon.
*Follow this page for updates from Total Croatia News on the coronavirus in Croatia. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here.
The patient is a man who works in Parma, Italy, a press release said.
Health Minister Vili Beroš said earlier in the day that so far 87 samples had been tested for the coronavirus and that another eight were being tested.
Media say that the second person to contract the coronavirus in Croatia is the brother of a young man who tested positive on Tuesday. The young man works with the Ericsson Nikola Tesla company in Zagreb. Last week he had been to Milan, Italy with his girlfriend to watch a Champions League match; she tested negative.
The Ministry of Science and Education on Wednesday issued recommendations on protective measures against coronavirus to all educational institutions, noting that classes should be held and the curricular reform proceed as planned.
Minister Blaženka Divjak said that the ministry was following the situation closely and that it would report on possible new circumstances and measures in a timely manner.
It is essential to delay until further notice all organised student excursions to affected areas as well as events such as sports competitions involving children from affected areas, she said.
The necessary hygienic measures, that is, general measures of protection according to recommendations by the Croatian Institute for Public Health (HZJZ) must be ensured in all schools.
Active health monitoring and self-isolation on the grounds of a border sanitary inspector’s decision lasts for 14 days after leaving affected areas, that is, China, South Korea, and the Italian regions of Lombardy and Veneto.
Active health monitoring of healthy children and students who arrive from affected areas and show no symptoms of the disease always consists of self-isolation.
Children and students who arrive from affected areas and show some of the respiratory disease symptoms should be treated as infected persons until infection is ruled out through microbiological diagnostics, which means that their hospitalisation is necessary.
Children and students who are undergoing active health monitoring in self-isolation do not attend classes in educational institutions for the duration of the measure.
Travel and events for students and children within Croatia are still possible, provided that children with respiratory symptoms do not take part, and outdoor activities are encouraged, says the ministry.
The ministry emphasises that the situation could change quickly with regard to the epidemiological situation, and that one should follow the HZJZ and Ministry of Health websites, where updates on coronavirus as well as preventive measures are published daily.
More coronavirus news can be found in the Lifestyle section.
*Follow this page for updates from Total Croatia News on the coronavirus in Croatia. Contact numbers for epidemiologists, travel advisories and measures for preventing the spread of the coronavirus can be found here.
